Gothic Tea Society

Charles Dickens 200, Google Art

2012-02-07T20:28:00.000-08:00

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Google tribute to

Charles Dickens who turns 200 today!

Charles John Huffam Dickens 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English novelist, generally considered the greatest of the Victorian period. Dickens enjoyed a wider popularity and fame than had any previous author during his lifetime, and he remains popular, having been responsible for some of English literature's most iconic novels and characters.

Exploded Skull

2012-02-05T04:00:00.000-08:00

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A Beauchene Skull, also known as an exploded skull, is a disarticulated human skull that has been carefully reassembled on a stand with jointed, movable parts that allow for the opening and studying of the skull as a whole or each piece individually.

Claude Beauchene the mid-1800s French anatomist developed this method to display the anatomy of the head. Beauchene would meticulously clean a skull, separate its bones, and mount them on a stand designed to exhibit them at once individually and in context.

The concept of the exploded skull was first introduced byLeonardo da Vinci, seen in his anatomical drawings.

Surrealist Women Artists

2012-01-27T03:00:00.000-08:00

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If you will be in the Los Angeles area before May 6th, don't miss this!

In Wonderland: The Surrealist Adventures of Women Artists in Mexico and the United States

Jan 29 thru May 6, 2012

at LACMA

More info HERE

Conjoined II, Creepy Art we love

2012-01-24T20:45:00.000-08:00

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In Santa Monica, CA

Art Show

Conjoined II

Jan 21- Feb 11

More info on the show HERE

The Witches House- Beverly Hills, CA.

2012-01-24T04:00:00.000-08:00

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What a wonderful cute house!

Crazy Coffin Show

2012-01-22T04:00:00.000-08:00

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A vibrant collection of bespoke coffins from the famous Pa Joe workshop in Ghana and Crazy Coffins in Nottingham.
Coffins in many unexpected designs - from a Mercedes, to a giant cocoa bean, to flying kite come - together to tell the story of the growing number of individuals around the world who choose to celebrate their life and death in the form of a uniquely designed coffin.

You can visit Crazy Coffins HERE

More on Paa Joe HERE

Ask a Mortician- Episode 5

2012-01-20T04:00:00.000-08:00

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Ask a Mortician- Episode 4

2012-01-18T18:25:00.000-08:00

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Google celebrates Charles Addams 100th

2012-01-07T00:33:00.000-08:00

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HAPPY 100th BIRTHDAY

Charles Addams!

Google has acknowledged the day with a special doodle!

Read all about Charles Addams, creator of the Addams family HERE.

Ask a Mortician- Episode 3

2012-01-01T20:18:00.000-08:00

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Ask a Mortician- Episode Two

2011-12-26T21:34:00.000-08:00

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Ask A Mortician- Episode One

2011-12-26T21:21:00.000-08:00

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Skull Stuff

2011-11-25T09:37:00.000-08:00

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Thank You Gothic Tea Society friends for sending in these awesome skull pictures.

Awesome cake!

Gothic Hats

2011-10-29T04:00:00.000-07:00

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Angry Birds- Halloween

2011-10-28T04:54:00.000-07:00

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For those of you who play Angry Birds- It's the Halloween edition!

Skull Camera

2011-10-27T03:52:00.000-07:00

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As Halloween fast approaches, we were inspired to bring you some of the most bizarre and dark eco products. Hands down, this pin hole skull camera crafted by sculpture artist Wayne Martin Belger is the spookiest we have ever seen. The piece, entitled Third Eye, is part of a small collection of eerie photography equipment made from metal, precious stones, and human remains.

The device works by briefly exposing film inside the skull. And just like other pin hole cameras, there are no lenses, battery powered flashes, or any ability to zoom in on a subject. Belger says he prefers this low-tech photo capturing method, because it’s the most “true representation of a segment of light and time – a pure reflection of what is at that moment.”

See the full article HERE

Growing Up for Goths

2011-10-24T12:54:00.000-07:00

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Interesting article in the Guardian:

What happens when a teenage goth grows up? Gets a job, takes on a mortgage, has a couple of kids…? Can you combine elaborate Frankenstein make-up and a lace-up bustier with getting a toddler ready for nursery and yourself to work on time?
Dr Paul Hodkinson, deputy head of Surrey University's sociology department and an expert in youth music subcultures, has been re-interviewing a group of goths he first studied in the late 1990s to find out. "They were teenagers and in their early 20s then, and I thought it would be interesting to go back because a number of people do stay involved in the goth scene," he explains.
Though many people who belong to youth subcultures such as punk and rave tend to drift away in their 20s, Hodkinson says it's more likely that older goths will want to remain involved in the scene, even though it may become harder to combine with the responsibilities that come with age.
To outsiders, it's the visual markers of being a goth – long, dyed-black hair, black clothes, pale faces contrasted with dark, dramatic eye make-up –that stand out. Taken on their own, these characteristics might be reasonably easy to cast off. However, Hodkinson says that although the aesthetic and clothing are important, the primary tenets of involvement in this subculture mean being "thoroughly passionate about goth music and style, and some goths would tell you they have an interest in the dark side of life, and a natural tendency towards a degree of angst".
This means a level of commitment to the goth scene, and friendship groups and identity that develop around being a goth, which result in social lives that "are so intertwined that it would feel very odd to leave it," he says.
Continuing with education and getting a decent job while staying involved isn't as hard for goths as it may be for those involved in other youth subcultures, some of which promote disengagement with school to the point that academic failure is all but inevitable.
"It's a relatively middle-class subculture, so despite … all the going out and being into the music, goths have always had a fairly positive view of people who are also achieving academically."
It means goths may have better career options than an outsider might expect. Succeeding in their chosen career had, Hodkinson observes, become increasingly important to those he interviewed as they moved into their late 20s and 30s, and he was surprised by how much participants in his study were willing to adapt their look to fit in at work. "I even gave people scenarios where they couldn't wear certain things. I expected them to say that they'd have to leave [their job], but they said they'd have to seriously consider it."
Most of his sample said they still were recognised as goths at work, but had toned down their look. "They retained a residual element of the appearance, but felt, for example, that colourful dyed hair wasn't going to work, and they'd stopped painting their nails black."
Several of Hodkinson's interviewees now had children, and he says that another sign of the importance of remaining involved despite this enormous life change is the recent appearance of websites discussing the issues facing goth families.
More parents are bringing their babies to goth festivals, too, Hodkinson says, "so organisers have started to think about policies and whether to provide facilities". For what Hodkinson calls "a fairly hedonistic youth subculture" to consider offering kids' clubs and on-site childminding means that demand from more mature goths is definitely on the increase.
Hodkinson says these individuals have found a way of "growing up together and taking on various elements of adulthood later perhaps than others might, but doing it as a cohort of people who are passionate about the same thing, and who support each other."

Louise Tickle · 24/10/2011 · guardian.co.uk

Ain't Love Grande?

2011-10-21T21:45:00.000-07:00

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Roman-era couple held hands for 1,500 years.

The skeletal remains of a Roman-era couple reveal the pair has been holding hands for 1,500 years.

Italian archaeologists say the man and woman were buried at the same time between the 5th and 6th century A.D. in central-northern Italy. Wearing a bronze ring, the woman is positioned so she appears to be gazing at her male partner.

"We believe that they were originally buried with their faces staring into each other. The position of the man's vertebrae suggests that his head rolled after death," Donato Labate, the director of the excavation at the archaeological superintendency of Emilia-Romagna, told Discovery news

A lil goth humor

2011-09-13T02:20:00.000-07:00

Enjoy!

What's in a name?

2011-08-18T05:00:00.000-07:00

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This headstone always gets a second glance.

This is from Bohemian National Cemetery in Illinois. More photos of this beautiful place can be found HERE

Zombie Walk Hollywood

2011-08-14T16:52:00.000-07:00

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We found the Zombies underground parking garage lair, and I shot them as they came out. . with my camera that is!

Zombie Booty

Princess Leia

Mourning Zombies

Dorothy Zombie was my favorite!

This Zombie just got lei d!

The Zombies have lots of Zombie handlers to help

The Zombies walk from their underground parking garage lair to Hollywood Blvd. Even the L.A. P. D. is out to ensure the zombies are safe from tourists!

Love the shoes!

The Zombies are escorted by handlers across busy Hollywood Blvd. in groups.

Next batch of Zombies waits for the light to change.

You can get more info on future Zombie walks HERE

Location, Location, Location

2011-08-14T11:15:00.000-07:00

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Nice new home, in a nice Illinois suburb. Still, I don't think I would have built on this spot. Until a few years ago, this was an empty lot with a depression in the soil where the foundation of the last home that once stood here was. And it seems the city was kind enough to change the address.

All of that still does not take away what happened here between 1972 and 1978 at what was once 8213 Summerdale.

On this spot once stood the home of John Wayne Gacy, Jr. (March 17, 1942 – May 10, 1994) was an American serial killer also known as the Killer Clown who raped and murdered 33 teenage boys and young men between 1972 and 1978. Gacy buried 26 of his victims in the crawlspace of his home and three others elsewhere on his property. You can read all about it HERE

Bats Day 2011- The People Part 2

2011-07-12T05:18:00.000-07:00

The Gothic Tea Society

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Hideousboi

Queenie

Noah K.

The Haunted Mansion

Haunted Mansion graveyard

Tearing down the set of the Pirates of the Caribbean premiere

Alice and the Mad Hatter

Wendy aka Wednesday Black of The Gothic Tea Society (yours truly)

Mickey doing what he does best- Terrorizing children

Bats Day 2011- The People Part 1

2011-07-10T01:55:00.000-07:00

The Gothic Tea Society

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Please do leave comments, and if you see yourself or a friend in the photos, tell me which photo and I will add your name under the photo. So many beautiful Creeps, so there will be 2 parts to this post.

Wendy aka Wednesday Black of The Gothic Tea Society (yours truly)

Bats Day 2011- The Hearses

2011-07-09T11:50:00.000-07:00

The Gothic Tea Society

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The Crucible's Inferno: A Fire Circus

2011-07-08T15:44:00.000-07:00

Coming to Oakland, Ca next week!

Frozen Dead Guy Days

2011-06-30T05:00:00.000-07:00

The Gothic Tea Society

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The Frozen Dead Guy is one Bredo Morstøl who was brought here to the USA recently deceased and preserved on dry ice in 1989.

Gradpa Bredo

It is an odd story, and you can read more about it HERE

There is an entire festival around this guy now in Nederland , Colorado.

That's Grandpa in there with all that ice- on his birthday!

Körperwelten or Body Worlds

2011-06-25T05:05:00.000-07:00

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People around the world have flocked to see this amazing exhibit. I hope to see it myself the next time it comes to Los Angeles. Have you seen it? What did you think? Leave a comment and tell us all about it!

Wiki- Body Worlds (German title: Körperwelten) is a traveling exhibition of preserved human bodies and body parts that are prepared using a technique called plastination to reveal inner anatomical structures. The exhibition's developer and promoter is German anatomist Gunther von Hagens, who invented the plastination technique in the late 1970s at the University of Heidelberg.

Read more on this fascinating exhibit HERE

Mummies of the World Exhibit

2011-06-21T05:00:00.000-07:00

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The Franklin Institute | 222 North 20th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103 | 215.448.1200

Read all the details HERE

Gravestone of the Roman Gladiator Diodorus

2011-06-20T19:04:00.000-07:00

The Gothic Tea Society

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This 1,800 year old tombstone and epitaph tell a story.

An enigmatic message on a Roman gladiator's 1,800-year-old tombstone has finally been decoded, telling a treacherous tale.

The epitaph and art on the tombstone suggest the gladiator, named Diodorus, lost the battle (and his life) due to a referee's error, according to Michael Carter, a professor at Brock University in St. Catharines, Canada. Carter studies gladiator contests and other spectacles in the eastern part of the Roman Empire.

Click HERE to see the whole story!

Chick Webb and his Orchestra- When America was Swinging.

2011-05-02T09:22:00.001-07:00

Chick Webb was considered one of the giants of swing back in the late 20’s & 30’s. His music was very upbeat and fun for its time. Some blushed (the older generation) at this type of music with strong thumping and kids dancing with their partner in the most un-lady like ways. Why, was this devils music? If it was the devils music, he sure has good taste!

Chick was mentored by Duke Ellington, toured with Louis Armstrong, argued with Jelly Roll Morton, jammed with Artie Shaw, married a beautiful dancer, discovered and practically adopted Ella Fitzgerald, beat Benny Goodman and Count Basie in legendary battle of the bands.

The Savoy Ballroom was the home of the amazing Lindy Hop dancers, and the first venue in America where Blacks and Whites could dance and socialize together. The Savoy opened in 1926 and was an almost instant sensation. It was enormous – two stories high, with a ballroom that spanned almost an entire city block. It comfortably held over 4,000 dancers, while on one jam-packed occasion it was reported that over 15,000 fans crowded in. There were two bandstands, one that could hold a full dance band and another one for smaller groups. Chick Webb and his orchestra became the main house band. Born fatherless and poor, Chick Webb broke his back, developed spinal tuberculosis, and was a hunchbacked dwarf in constant pain, yet he virtually invented modern drumming and built the hottest band of the 1930s (it was the Savoy Ballroom’s “house band”).

Passing away at the young age of 30, Chick’s brief, inspiring life illuminates the society-changing power of music and the ability of everyone (with or without disabilities) to reach beyond their apparent limits.

The Savoy’s existence was all too short, just like Chick Webb’s band. Its heyday ended in the 1940s along with so many other famed big-band venues. The Savoy persevered with bebop and more dance contests but by 1958 it fell victim to changing tastes and urban renewal. The block was torn down and replaced with an apartment complex. For decades there was nothing to remind passersby of the history that took place between 140^th and 141^st Streets. Finally, a renewed interest in Harlem’s history led the apartment complex to be renamed Savoy Park, and a commemorative plaque was put up. The name also lives on in many other ballrooms around the United States, Britain, and Australia, and in dozens of dance steps and songs still being performed.

If you can find Chick Webb and his Orchestra- “Stomping at the Savoy” I strongly recommend this 4 cd set. It will keep you swinging with its driving beats and songs that make you feel like you stepped back in time.

tinawinter.gts@gmail.com

Bedlam- Bethlehem Hospital

2011-04-12T05:00:00.000-07:00

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A place so notorious, it's name is synonymous with 'uproar and confusion'. Bedlam- many of us have used the term. Here is the story behind it. A recent article about a macabre but fantastic archeological find in the old footprint of Bedlam can be seen HERE

Wiki says: The Bethlem Royal Hospital is a psychiatric hospital located in London, United Kingdom and part of the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. Although no longer based at its original location, it is recognised as the world's first and oldest institution to specialise in mental illnesses. It has been variously known as St. Mary Bethlehem, Bethlem Hospital, Bethlehem Hospital and Bedlam.

The Hospital is closely associated with King's College London and in partnership with the King's College London Institute of Psychiatry is a major centre for psychiatric research. It is part of both the King's Health Partners academic health science centre and the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre for Mental Health.

The word bedlam, meaning uproar and confusion, is derived from its name. Although the hospital is now at the forefront of humane psychiatric treatment, for much of its history it was notorious for cruelty and inhumane treatment – the epitome of what the term "madhouse" connotes to the modern reader.

Bethlem has been a part of London since 1247, first as a priory for the sisters and brethren of the Order of the Star of Bethlehem, from where the building took its name. Its first site was in Bishopsgate (where Liverpool Street station now stands). In 1337 it became a hospital, and it admitted some mentally ill patients from 1357, but did not become a dedicated psychiatric hospital until later.

Early sixteenth century maps show Bedlam, next to Bishopsgate, as a courtyard with a few stone buildings, a church and a garden. Conditions were consistently dreadful, and the care amounted to little more than restraint. There were 31 patients and the noise was "so hideous, so great; that they are more able to drive a man that hath his wits rather out of them." Violent or dangerous patients were manacled and chained to the floor or wall. Some were allowed to leave, and licensed to beg.

It was a Royal hospital, but controlled by the City of London after 1557, and managed by the Governors of Bridewell. Day to day management was in the hands of a Keeper, who received payment for each patient from their parish, livery company, or relatives. In 1598 an inspection showed neglect; the "Great Vault" (cesspit) badly needed emptying, and the kitchen drains needed replacing. There were 20 patients there, one of whom had been there over 25 years.

In 1620, patients of Bethlem banded together and sent a "Petition of the Poor Distracted People in the House of Bedlam (concerned with conditions for inmates)" to the House of Lords.

The Hospital became famous and notorious for the brutal ill-treatment meted out to the mentally ill. In 1675 Bedlam moved to new buildings in Moorfields designed by Robert Hooke, outside the City boundary. The playwright Nathaniel Lee was incarcerated there for five years, reporting that: "They called me mad, and I called them mad, and damn them, they outvoted me."

The inmates were first called "patients" in 1700, and "curable" and "incurable" wards were opened in 1725-34. In the 18th century people used to go to Bedlam to stare at the lunatics. For a penny one could peer into their cells, view the freaks of the "show of Bethlehem" and laugh at their antics. Entry was free on the first Tuesday of the month. In 1814 alone, there were 96,000 such visits.

More on what it was like inside Bedlam can be found HERE at the Royal College of Physicians.

Doll House

2011-04-04T19:40:00.000-07:00

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Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire 100 Years Ago Today

2011-03-25T05:00:00.000-07:00

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100 Years ago today there was a terrible tragedy. A fire killed 146 workers, mostly female immigrants.

For a modern article on the 100 year remembrance go HERE

Wiki says: The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in New York City on March 25, 1911, was the deadliest industrial disaster in the history of the city of New York and resulted in the fourth highest loss of life from an industrial accident in U.S. history. The fire caused the deaths of 146 garment workers, who either died from the fire or jumped to their deaths. Most of the victims were recent immigrant Jewish and Italian women aged sixteen to twenty-three. Many of the workers could not escape the burning building because the managers had locked the doors to the stairwells and exits. People jumped from the eighth, ninth, and tenth floors. The fire led to legislation requiring improved factory safety standards and helped spur the growth of the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union, which fought for better working conditions for sweatshop workers.

The factory was located in the Asch Building, at 29 Washington Place, now known as the Brown Building, which has been designated a National Historic Landmark and a New York City landmark.

The Triangle Waist Company factory occupied the eighth, ninth, and tenth floors of the Asch Building on the northwest corner of Greene Street and Washington Place, just to the east of Washington Square Park, in the Greenwich Village area of New York City. Under the ownership of Max Blanck and Isaac Harris, the factory produced women's blouses, known as "shirtwaists." The factory normally employed about 500 workers, mostly young immigrant women, who worked nine hours a day on weekdays plus seven hours on Saturdays. As the workday was ending on the afternoon of Saturday, March 25, 1911, a fire flared up at approximately 4:45 PM in a scrap bin under one of the cutter's tables at the northeast corner of the eighth floor.

A large crowd of bystanders gathered on the street, witnessing sixty-two people jumping or falling to their deaths from the burning building. Louis Waldman, later a New York Socialist state assemblyman, described the scene years later:

One Saturday afternoon in March of that year — March 25, to be precise — I was sitting at one of the reading tables in the old Astor Library... It was a raw, unpleasant day and the comfortable reading room seemed a delightful place to spend the remaining few hours until the library closed. I was deeply engrossed in my book when I became aware of fire engines racing past the building. By this time I was sufficiently Americanized to be fascinated by the sound of fire engines. Along with several others in the library, I ran out to see what was happening, and followed crowds of people to the scene of the fire.

A few blocks away, the Asch Building at the corner of Washington Place and Greene Street was ablaze. When we arrived at the scene, the police had thrown up a cordon around the area and the firemen were helplessly fighting the blaze. The eighth, ninth, and tenth stories of the building were now an enormous roaring cornice of flames.

Word had spread through the East Side, by some magic of terror, that the plant of the Triangle Waist Company was on fire and that several hundred workers were trapped. Horrified and helpless, the crowds — I among them — looked up at the burning building, saw girl after girl appear at the reddened windows, pause for a terrified moment, and then leap to the pavement below, to land as mangled, bloody pulp. This went on for what seemed a ghastly eternity. Occasionally a girl who had hesitated too long was licked by pursuing flames and, screaming with clothing and hair ablaze, plunged like a living torch to the street. Life nets held by the firemen were torn by the impact of the falling bodies.

The emotions of the crowd were indescribable. Women were hysterical, scores fainted; men wept as, in paroxysms of frenzy, they hurled themselves against the police lines.

The remainder waited until smoke and fire overcame them. The fire department arrived quickly but was unable to stop the flames, as there were no ladders available that could reach beyond the sixth floor. The fallen bodies and falling victims also made it difficult for the fire department to approach the building.

International Sweethearts of Rhythm

2011-03-23T05:59:00.000-07:00

I heard an interesting piece on the radio about these ladies. They are fabulous!

The International Sweethearts of Rhythm was the first integrated all women's band in the United States. During the 1940s the band featured some of the best female musicians of the day. They played swing and jazz on a national circuit that included the Apollo Theater in New York City, the Regal Theater in Chicago, and the Howard Theater in Washington, DC. After a performance in Chicago in 1943, the Chicago Defender announced the band was, "One of the hottest stage shows that ever raised the roof of the theater!" More recently, they have been labeled "the most prominent and probably best female aggregation of the Big Band era.

Ghost Pictures

2011-03-22T04:00:00.000-07:00

I always like to look at things like this. Its interesting to see if you can figure out what the "ghost" is or if it's beyond explanation. This site has a section where they show fake or explainable "ghost pictures"

Ghost Pictures

Titanic Conspiracy Theories

2011-03-19T04:32:00.000-07:00

Conspiracy theories usually piss me off. But the other day I was watching a show on the Titanic and decided to check out if there were any conspiracy theories regarding that death ship. There are! Some of them are pretty interesting. My favorite is that the ship was actually switched with another ship. I think it ended up being proved as false..but it's still interesting to read about. Theres even one that involves a mummy.

Titanic Conspiracy Theories

Civilization

2011-03-17T14:39:00.001-07:00

Pretty cool group of pictures here. Not gothic or anything...but really neat to see.

Infrastructure

Make Your Own Camera Obscura

2011-03-17T14:27:00.000-07:00

I found this really cool "how to" article online today. If you make one be sure to share your pictures!

Make Your Own Camera Obscura

Dollmakers- The Doll Show

2011-03-14T19:37:00.000-07:00

I am really going to try and go by here before April 5th.

Here is an article about the show from the Eagle Rock Patch

The Gallery of the Dolls (Move Over American Girl)
A doll-themed art show opens at Cactus Gallery—from Goth to Mexican folk art, there's enough doll power on display to make Barbie tremble.
By Philipp Sander

Usually, the place to find dolls is children's bedrooms, and perhaps the corresponding aisle at Toys 'R' Us. Throughout the remainder of March and until April 5, however, Eagle Rock’s Cactus Gallery is a pretty sure bet, too.

Celebrating its sixth birthday, the gallery opened a new show, titled “Dollmakers,” on Saturday, featuring 26 artists from all over the Golden State and more than 200 pieces of their art. The event coincided with NELAart’s monthly Second Saturday Gallery Night.

For an art gallery that specializes in multimedia, painting and sculpture, it might seem a little unusual to put on a show themed around dolls. But as Sandra Mastroianni, the owner of Cactus Gallery, put it: “It just was time to do a doll show.”

The dolls certainly struck a nerve with visitors. The small gallery was packed with artists, art lovers and Eagle Rockers, who gazed in awe at the wide range of doll styles on display while a duo of musicians, Tom Page and 5 Track, on double bass and guitar, respectively, jammed in front of the store. (Check out the photo section.)

Several artists injected a Gothic look in their dolls, giving them white, porcelain-like faces, gaunt eyes and Victorian-era clothing, all of which echoed the Victorian practice of using deceased infants' skeletons for doll-making.

For Sheri DeBow, whose dolls were eerily reminiscent of Helena Bonham-Carter's appearance in the Harry Potter series and in Sweeney Todd (although the likeness is surely coincidental), working with dolls isn’t very different from parenting—and without any of the labors of motherhood.

“After having five kids, I still can create things without having to be pregnant anymore,” she said. Creating dolls can also be a form of self-expression, as one of her pieces, titled “Annie Droid, do what you are told,” makes clear. It reflects her “wearing the mom hat, wearing the wife hat, but also being myself,” as DeBow put it. Her dolls are also inspired by the lives of her children. For example, one of her pieces, “The princess of the palace runs away from home,” revolves around the emotional problems that her daughter faced during DeBow's divorce.

Some artists chose to work only with cloth, sowing modern stuffed figures in pop-art colors. Also well represented were artists who were inspired by Mexican folk art, presenting giant mosaic-decorated clay skulls and Día de los Muertos figurines. Another unusual sight: Claymation animator Edgar Alvarez created studies of homeless persons, complete with shopping carts filled with eclectic items, thereby shining a light on an often-forgotten group in our society.

Clearly, dolls mean different things to different people. “Dolls can be creepy and they can be happy—I try to show both aspects in my work,” said one artist who goes by the name Bastet 2329 and whose Victorian dolls are one of the highlights of the show. Asked why she works with dolls—she also is a painter—she answered, with a smile: “I get to play with dolls all day. Isn't that every girl's dream?”

Dollmakers runs until April 5 at Cactus Gallery and Gifts, 4536 Eagle Rock Blvd. Tues-Sat: 11a.m.-6 p.m. Sun-Mon: by appointment.

Water for Elephants

2011-03-08T17:57:00.000-08:00

If you like stories of the good ol' days of the circus, then you should thoroughly enjoy the book, "Water for Elephants." The main character tells the story of his youth, and how he came to be a part of the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. So much research was done by the author to really let you have a peek into the daily life of a depression era railroad traveling circus, from the sideshow freaks to the cooch show and on to the Big Top, the characters are colorful and interesting. So, I highly recommend that you pick up a copy even if you just want to kill some time on a rainy day.

http://www.amazon.com/Water-Elephants-Novel-Sara-Gruen/dp/1565125606/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1299635810&sr=1-1

The Motionless Dream

2011-03-06T05:43:00.000-08:00

This lovely book is available now. I sent for my own copy the moment it was available. I love it. The book can be ordered HERE

Funeral March for a Marionette

2011-03-04T05:38:00.000-08:00

Love this! Enjoy!

VooDoo Church ~ Original LA Gothic

2011-03-01T12:28:00.000-08:00

If you were in Los Angeles in the early 80's, you likely well remember the emergence of 'Death Rock'. The term 'Gothic' was not used as much back then. Many of us spent hours around Hollywood, Clubbing at Club Lingerie ( The Veil) , Cathay de Grande, The Rainbow, The Troubadour etc, etc till the wee hours of the morning, when the Dennys on Sunset was almost the only place open to eat and sober up.

Sunday, late afternoon brought shopping on Melrose Avenue when it was the home of reasonably priced cool shops like Vinyl Fetish, Flip, Poseur, so many more that I just can't recall. And we walked. Parking at one end of the blocks of stores and walking a few miles up and back. Dressing retro was easy then, thrift shops practically gave the old clothes away. And if it wasn't black already then you found some RIT and dyed it black! Gothic style emerged and grew here in Los Angeles.

VooDoo Church was born here in the LA Music scene. And though it has gone through many changes over the years, it can still claim title to being one of the foundation Gothic bands. Since I have known founding members Tina and Bob for over 25 years, I thought it would be nice to pay tribute to VooDoo Church and their work.

Voodoo Church “EP” was released in December of 1982 and features four songs ("Eyes - Second Death", "Steeple Walls", "Live With the Dead" and "Rest in Peace") written by Tina Winter and Bob Reimer.

VooDoo Church then -Tina Winter – Vocals, Bob Reimer – Hell Guitar, Shadow – Rhythm Guitar, Jeff Porter – Bass and Chris – Drums.

Then there was Tina's interview with NoMag. To this day I have yet to have her make me some of this Chinese food! Tina, next time we aren't going to BBQ we are going to make Chinese! I will stir- fry , you do the rice. I have 2 Woks.

Flier from the Vinyl Fetish EP signing. Who remembers Henry & Joseph the owners of Vinyl Fetish? They were key to helping so many bands in LA then.

The band’s first full-length album, “Unholy Burial” through Strobelight Records, was released in November of 2004. This album’s 12 tracks were recorded and written by Tina Winter and Randall Cole between March and August of 2004, with the exception of two songs which were originally written by Tina and Bob in 1983.

Key Club, Hollywood- September 2005

Voodoo Church’s latest release is, “Eminence of Demons” through Strobelight Records. Released on November 20, 2009, the writing and recording of this CD took place at various times between 2006 through 2009.

For more on VooDoo Church please visit their main site HERE

And be sure to 'Like' VooDoo Church on Facebook HERE

VooDooChurch today- Tina Winter, Rob (Bob) Reimer, Randy Cole, Tony Havoc, Darlin Havoc.

ATROCITY EXHIBITION 2011- MAY 14TH

2011-02-27T09:05:00.000-08:00

Don't miss this year's Atrocity Exhibition! Back by popular and demented demand! Morose and Macabre are our dear friends so The Gothic Tea Society highly recommends a visit! For more info and a lok at the House of Oddities click HERE

* These photos are used with permission and are the property of Morose & Macabre *

Spring is in the air.

2011-02-25T22:13:00.000-08:00

Haunted Mansion Art Show coming June 2011

2011-02-20T09:23:00.000-08:00

More info will be available soon HERE

Macabre Noir- Bridge City Bombshells- The Doll-Y

2011-02-08T12:17:00.000-08:00

Feet Shoes

2011-01-29T09:04:00.000-08:00

20 Scary Old School Surgical Tools

2011-01-27T05:30:00.000-08:00

I just saw this article and I was pretty shocked. Most of them make you shout "OH MY FUCKING GOD!" and make your best awkward/ disgusted face.

My favorite is the Tobacco smoke enema. Apparently this is where the popular saying of blowing smoke up someones ass comes from. What's yours?

Enjoy!

http://www.surgicaltechnologists.net/blog/20-scary-old-school-surgical-tools

Cirque Berzerk!

2011-01-09T16:52:00.000-08:00

Last night my mom, step dad, sister and myself went on a family outing to see Cirque Berzerk. My mom and step dad had seen the show before but this was the first time my sister and I have seen it. I would recommend the show to anyone. It was definitely entertaining! There was a clown riding a flame throwing tricycle, a 4 man trampoline act, attempted gay necrophilia, acrobatics and a magic number where a hat is pulled out of a rabbit. I do recommend that you try to get floor seats, as they are the best. Our original seats were on the main floor but my sister and i got upgraded to front row seats! we were the first row right infront of the stage. There was no photography allowed but when has that ever stopped me? I am known to touch things that are clearly labeled "DO NOT TOUCH!" and take pictures where pictures are not allowed.

So, for your enjoyment I present - crappy cell phone pictures from my iPhone 4!

AND - an HD video! (It's short :( )

Cirque Berzerk 2011

2011-01-01T20:53:00.000-08:00

Cirque Berzerk

Don't Miss it!

Go HERE for details

Starts here in Los Angeles 1/7/2011

2011

2011-01-01T20:47:00.000-08:00

Here we are on the first day of a brand new year. While 2010 had it's challenges, it was not the worst year ever. 2010 seemed like a year for change. I am hoping for a year of stability in 2011.

It has been a little quiet here on the GTS blog this holiday season, but keep a look out for some new stories and features. Each and every one of our readers are much appreciated.

The Gothic Tea Society wishes you all a most enchanting 2011. All the best to you and those you love.

You're a rotter Mr Grinch

2010-12-19T18:46:00.000-08:00

Every Who down in Whoville liked Christmas a lot, but the Grinch, who lived just north of Whoville - did not. The Grinch hated Christmas - the whole Christmas season. Now, please don't ask why; no one quite knows the reason. It could be, perhaps, that his shoes were too tight. Or it could be that his head wasn't screwed on just right. But I think that the most likely reason of all may have been that his heart was two sizes too small.

You’re a mean one Mr. Grinch
You really are a heel.
You’re as cuddly as a cactus,
And as charming as an eel,
Mr. Grinch!
You’re a bad banana,
With a greasy black peel!
You’re a monster, Mr. Grinch!
Your heart’s an empty hole.
Your brain is full of spiders.
You’ve got garlic in your soul,
Mr. Grinch!
I wouldn’t touch you
With a thirty-nine-and-a-half foot pole!
You’re a vile one, Mr. Grinch!
You have termites in your smile.
You have all the tender sweetness
Of a seasick crocodile,
courtesy of TopLyrics.Info
Mr. Grinch!
Given the choice between the two of you,
I’d take the seasick crocodile!
You’re a foul one, Mr. Grinch!
You’re a nasty, wasty skunk!
Your heart is full of unwashed socks.
Your soul is full of gunk,
Mr. Grinch!
The three words that best describe you
Are as follows, and I quote,
“Stink, stank, stunk!”
You’re a rotter, Mr. Grinch!
You’re the king of sinful sots!
Your heart’s a dead tomato,
Splotched with moldy, purple spots,
Mr. Grinch!
Your soul is an appalling dump-heap,
Overflowing with the most disgraceful
assortment of deplorable rubbish imaginable,
Mangled-up in tangled-up knots!
You nauseate me, Mr. Grinch!
With a nauseous super naus!
You’re a crooked jerky jockey,
And you drive a crooked hoss,
Mr. Grinch!
You’re a three-decker sauerkraut
and toadstool sandwich,
With arsenic sauce!

The Grinch was a bit of a family tradition for me. My Grandfather, John Young did film editing on this movie ( IMDB credits HERE) and he had one of the original copies on film reels that he would show us every year when my older brother and I were kids.

Happy Krampus day

2010-12-05T08:44:00.000-08:00

It's Krampus day!

Krampus is a mythical creature. In various regions of the world – especially Austria and Hungary – it is believed that Krampus accompanies St. Nicholas during the Christmas season, warning and punishing bad children, in contrast to St. Nicholas, who gives gifts to good children. Due to German and Austrian influence, the myth of Krampus is also prevalent in Croatia, Slovakia, Slovenia and northern Italy.

The word Krampus originates from the Old High German word for claw (Krampen). In the Alpine regions, Krampus is represented by a demon-like creature. Traditionally, young men dress up as the Krampus in the first two weeks of December, particularly on the evening of 5 December, and roam the streets frightening children and women with rusty chains and bells. In some rural areas the tradition also includesbirching – corporal punishment with a birch rod – by Krampus, especially of young girls. Images of Krampus usually show him with a basket on his back used to carry away bad children and dump them into the pits of Hell.

Modern Krampus costumes consist of Larve (wooden masks), sheep's skin, and horns. Considerable effort goes into the manufacture of the hand-crafted masks, and many younger adults in rural communities compete in the Krampus events. -wiki

I like this Krampus/Witch combo. All these babies look bad to me!

Have YOU been Naughty or Nice?

Gothic Christmas to all!

2010-11-27T19:43:00.000-08:00

Twas the night before Christmas, and all through our house was blasting the "St. Vitus Dance" by Bauhaus;

Torn fishnets were draped on my forearms with care,

And two cans of Aquanet applied to my hair;

My thoughts were of graveyards, and horror and dread,
Black visions of pain and despair in my head;
And Bianca, whose face was as pale as the moon,
Had thrown up her arm for this evening's swoon,
When out by the gravestones there came such a clatter,
I sprang from the coffin to find out the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a ghost,
Expecting to find a dark devilish host.
The moon on the breast of the uncaring snow
Threw ominous shadows on objects below,
When, before my tormented eyes did traverse,
But a gorgeous black Crane & Breed carved-panel hearse,
With a gaunt, shrouded driver, who filled me with fear,
And eight skeletal creatures that might have been deer.
More rapid than vultures his coursers they came,
And his deep Andrew Eldritch voice called them by name;

Now, Murphy! Now, Morgoth! Now, Torment and Woe!
On, Dreadful! On, Lovecraft! Mephisto and Poe!
To the top of the gravestones where fog wisps its breath!
With a weight on my soul I consign you to death!

As dead leaves that before hellish hurricanes fly,
When they flutter like giant bats' wings to the sky,
So up to the crypt-top the coursers they leapt,
While dearest Bianca, like death, still but slept.
And then, to my horror, I heard on the roof
The clicking and scratching of each bone-white hoof.
As I drew in my arm, and was whirling around,
Down the ebony chimney he came without sound.

He was clad all in black, and he looked oh-so-goth,
A billowy ensemble of crushed velvet cloth;
His boots were knee-high, quite buckled and zipped,
And the Spandex and fishnets 'round his legs were ripped.
His eyes glowed with bluish fire, deathly and cold,
A black eye-liner'd face neither youthful nor old.
A broad lipless mouth drawn with torment and hurt,
And his sorrowful face was as white as my shirt.

A smoldering cigarette tight in his grasp,
Its smoke curling eerily 'round his cloak clasp;
His gaunt frame was topped with long ebon hair,
And a sharp scent of brimstone and cloves choked the air.
His arms were outspread in the shape of a cross,
And I quailed when I saw him, feeling sorrow and loss;
He narrowed his eyes with a twist of his head,
And I felt the full weight of his angst and dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his task,
Left some Dead Can Dance CD's; before I could ask,
A single tear fell across his aquiline nose,
And then, like an angel, up the chimney he rose;
He sprang to his hearse, to his team he then hissed,
And away they all drifted like early dawn's mist.
But I heard him intone, ere he vanished from sight,
"Gothic Christmas to all, and to all a good fright!"

* This was sent in by a reader, I do not have the authors name, but if you know it, please do let me know so that I may give proper credit!

'Tis the Season!

2010-11-27T19:18:00.000-08:00

I am running behind as you can see, but I promise I will change the Halloween background soon!

It is now the season for Jolly Elves and Naughty Kids! Here is our first Krampus to get you in the mood for the Holidays!

I already have my 'Nightmare' Tree up with its skeleton garland and skull topper and scary stuff ornaments. WHat will you be doing this year toward your Scary Christmas?

The Cutest Evil Dead Girl- A Dr. Morose Favorite

2010-11-20T21:14:00.000-08:00

Clowns

2010-11-20T20:56:00.000-08:00

Clowns. Does anybody REALLY like Clowns? I think not.

Halloween Hoopla II : Foamy The Squirrel (Adult Language)

2010-11-13T13:30:00.000-08:00

Halloween 2010

2010-11-01T20:55:00.000-07:00

Retro Vintage Halloween

2010-10-27T20:28:00.000-07:00

I always enjoy Vintage or Retro Halloween and have a small collection. But I have realized with all of the things in this post. . I bought these new back in the day. This is like tuning into the 'oldies' station and then saying to yourself "Oldies? This isn't old, I remember when this was a new song back in. . " "oh"

Atrocity Exhibition 2011

2010-10-22T22:29:00.000-07:00

These are some of my favorite Creeps! This is an excellent event, if you can help make it happen Thank You! If you can attend, Don't miss it! Find out more HERE

Be sure to check out their wonderfully dark and macabre art. Then buy a piece or two. I did!

The Creepy Art & Stories of Lithium LuLu Cartoons

2010-10-21T12:20:00.000-07:00

This wonderfully creepy art can be found HERE Each piece has an accompanying story.

Arm Chairs

2010-10-17T07:02:00.000-07:00

Hand-carved of hardwood; these chairs were apparently modeled after a rare 18th-century chair which sold for over $100,000 at a New York auction. By oral tradition, they were part of a set custom-ordered by actor Vincent Price. However, Price died before they were delivered. In any case, they make a wonderful conversation piece!

Yoinked from Anonymous Works.

Halloween In Heaven

2010-10-16T08:46:00.000-07:00

I thought this appropriate, as it will be our first Halloween without Peter Steele, a man who loved Halloween as much as his female fans loved his 1995 Playgirl spread.

And if there is no Halloween in Heaven, then I'm not going.

"Of course I cried
When I heard they'd died
And took a part of me
Same time gave
From beyond the grave
Became what was meant to be."

Edward Gorey

2010-10-16T06:34:00.000-07:00

The Listing Attic - 1954

Jan Frans DeBoever

2010-10-14T18:27:00.000-07:00

Jan Frans De Boever (Ghent, Belgium, June 8, 1872 - May 23, 1949)

"Suddenly in about 1909 he modified his style radically, painting licentious women and prostitutes in morbid and bizarre settings. Skeletons, death and eroticism began to dominate his paintings. Semi-clothed women were depicted as servants of the devil, creating an atmosphere of evil. Man is shown as woman's toy, a languid object submitting himself to her slightest caprice."

Frankenstein

2010-10-12T00:00:00.000-07:00

Frankenstein is a 1910 film made by Edison Studios that was written and directed by J. Searle Dawley. It was the first motion picture adaptation of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. The unbilled cast included Augustus Phillips as Dr. Frankenstein, Charles Ogle as the Monster, and Mary Fuller as the doctor's fiancée.

It's alive! it's alive!!!

Enjoy!

L.A DEAD- All about what's happening in Los Angeles

2010-10-11T19:32:00.000-07:00

For more info on this Upcoming Halloween event and lots of other dark club happenings- DO check out L.A. DEAD. HERE

Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde

2010-10-11T00:00:00.000-07:00

John Barrymore stars in the renowned silent adaptation of the Robert Louis Stevenson classic about a Victorian scientist who turns himself into a murderous abomination.

Enjoy!

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari

2010-10-10T14:10:00.000-07:00

A man named Francis relates a story about his best friend Alan and his fiance Jane. Alan takes him to a fair where they meet Dr. Caligari, who exhibits a somnambulist, Cesare, that can predict the future.
When Alan asks how long he has to live, Cesare says he has until dawn. The prophecy comes to pass, as Alan is murdered, and Cesare is a prime suspect.
Cesare creeps into Jane's bedroom and abducts her, running from the townspeople and finally dying of exhaustion.
Meanwhile, the police discover a dummy in Cesare's cabinet, while Caligari flees.
Francis tracks Caligari to a mental asylum. He is the director! Or is he?

Enjoy!

MARILYN MANSON :: This Is Halloween

2010-10-09T16:37:00.000-07:00

Welcome Blog Tour Visitors!!

2010-10-09T02:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome Visitors from Mrs B's and Thank You Mrs. B for hosting this event every year!

Welcome to The Gothic Tea Society. Please take some time to peruse our archives and make yourselves at home. There are lots of stories, history, art, fashion, events and fun in there- all with a spooky twist. All of the Gothic Tea Society contributors have a love of the Macabre which is evident in our posts. Several of those who contribute to making the GTS blog as spooky as it is, have fascinating blogs of their own- so do check them out!

My name is Wendy, creator of The Gothic Tea Society. I am an 'Eldergoth' (over 40), Gothmom to two adult daughters and wife to my very own Mad Hatter! (my husband Jeff) and servant to 6 cats. I work full time for a large telecommunications company and yes- I wear all black to work most every day.
This blog is one way that I connect with the Gothic subculture of which I have been a part of for many years, posting not only stories and photos of interest but also promoting gothic and dark artists, fashion, music and events. One of my other interests is photography, a passion I share with my husband. We have an ongoing blog of our road trips which center on the odd, macabre, vintage and other sites of interest that we encounter on our travels. Please do drop by! You can find it here November Obscura. We also have many different photographs HERE on our gallery.

I thought I would share some photographs of one of my other passions- Dolls. I have quite a few of them, and as you can see . . they are not your average dolls! Many of the dolls in these photos are from Creepy Dolls , October Effigies , and Madame Talbot.

Smaller Dolls from Madame Talbot, October Effigies, Creepy Dolls and a few of my Living Dead dolls.

Dr Nicholas Blood- Plague Dr. (Handy to have around when the Plague comes through every year)

This is Pio, she is probably the one that creeps most people out. She is about 3 ft tall and has a very knowing gaze. You would also swear she just moved every time you look at her.

This sweet girl has been playing in the dirt again!

This elegant lady is one of a few I have that have no eyes. But don't think that that means they don't know what you are up to!

This is my newest doll. She has such a big lovely smile! I love the tiny bats on her dress.

This is Sedona, she is the Matriarch of my doll clan- which is some 30 something dolls. The interesting thing about Sedona is that sometimes her face looks angry, and sometimes not. When she looks mad we all try and think about what could have made Sedona upset. You really don't want Sedona upset.

Thank you all for visiting and I hope you will drop by often!

Happy Halloween!

Witches as Nose Art

2010-10-08T13:54:00.000-07:00

Cinderella For Those Who Like The Darker Side of Life

2010-10-07T10:52:00.000-07:00

http://www.amazon.com/Cinderella-Skeleton-Robert-San-Souci/dp/0152050698/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1286473860&sr=1-1

Let me start off by saying, "I love this book!" I purchased this wonderful book when my daughter was about 4-5 years old, and it quickly became a favorite! It's a nice twist on the Cinderella story that we all grew up with.

Amazon states it's for ages 4-8. However, I think most kids (and adults) will enjoy the story esp. if they like creepy crawlies and such.

Carnival Noir

2010-10-07T06:10:00.000-07:00

This looks like lots of fun. More detail can be found HERE

Capuchin Crypt and Church in Rome

2010-10-05T14:20:00.000-07:00

The church is situated on the Capuchin Square near the Cabbage Market. Next to the church stands the Capuchin Monastery. The front side of the church is decorated with the Baroque sculptures by Jan Adam Nessman from 1765.

The most interesting place is the Capuchin crypt which is located beneath the church. Due to the good geological structure of soil and system of air-holes, it was possible to mummify the corpses which have been preserved in the underground of the church to the present-day. Except for the members of the Capuchin Order, the builders Ondřej and Jan Křtitel Ern and baron Franz von der Trenck (a commander of the Pandur and Špilberk prisoner) are buried there.

(info taken from www.brno.me)

Goth Fonts

2010-10-04T05:00:00.000-07:00

When you are writing your goth poetry in your dungeon, illuminated only by the screen of your goth laptop, do you ever think that arial is just not getting your point across? If so...

Goth fonts!

Evangeline's Costume Mansion

2010-10-02T17:19:00.000-07:00

Evangeline's Costume Mansion
113 K Street
Sacramento, CA. 95814

This is the place to go if you live in the greater Sacramento area. Evangeline's is a year long attraction, specializing in everything from crazy furniture to plastic dog poop. But come autumn and the doors of the upstairs costume mansion open. Take the creaky stairs or the ancient elevator (a wonderfully antique wrought iron dealio, btw!) upstairs to the Gothic Chamber, which not only sells every costume you can possibly imagine (and a few you never considered) but also sports an elaborate chandelier, life sized dummies to welcome you and the very best in goth ambient tunes playing on the overhead speakers.

Evangeline's is a great place to get lost in any time of year, but their Halloween costume mansion is second to none.

How Different Age Groups Celebrate Halloween

2010-10-02T05:00:00.000-07:00

I thought this was pretty funny...probably a lot of truth to it!

How Different Age Groups Celebrate Halloween on The Oatmeal.

Ten Thousand Pumpkins

2010-10-01T17:01:00.000-07:00

“First of all, it was October.
A rare month for boys.
Full of long nights, cold winds,
Dark promises.
The days grow short.
The shadows lengthen.
And the wind blows in such a way
That it makes you want to run forever.
Because up ahead
Ten thousand pumpkins lie waiting to be cut.”

Ray Bradbury - Something Wicked This Way Comes

The Lullaby

2010-10-01T15:02:00.000-07:00

Most everyone in the world is familiar with the lullaby. Our mothers sang them to us and, in turn, we sing them to our own children. I don't have kids myself, but I have been known on occasion to sing them to my cat. Yeah, I know I'm destined to be a crazy old cat lady. I'm cool with it.

Lullabies conjure up images of teddy bears, blankies and cows jumping over smiley faced moons. But the origin of the lullaby is a lot darker, and much more sinister, than you might have initially suspected.

It is believed that the word "lullaby" originated from the Hebrew "Lilith-Abi" which translates as "Lilith, Begone!" The goddess Lilith, who fled the Garden of Eden after refusing to submit to Adam sexually, defied God's order to return. God declared that if Lilith did not obey him, she would lose one hundred of her own children every day. In retaliation, Lilith stated that she, in turn, would bring sickness and death to newborn babies, unless they were protected by amulets inscribed with the names of the angels Senoy, Sansenoy, and Semangelof, and also the written banishment "Lilith-Abi" upon them.

To this day, the tradition continues in the form of the lullaby, a song which ensures a restful, demon-free night for your baby.

Fantastic Masks

2010-10-01T12:29:00.000-07:00

Plague Doctor Mask by Tom Banwell

http://www.etsy.com/listing/56378317/plague-doctors-mask-in-leather?ref=v1_other_1

This is just one of the most fantastic masks in Tom Banwell's Etsy shop. If you're looking for something special for your Halloween costume, you might just check him out!

5 Scary Ways To Save on Your Halloween Costume

2010-10-01T00:00:00.000-07:00

It's not really that scary..but I figure everyone can use money saving ideas. Yay money saving!

Check out the article here.

The 31 Days of Halloween 2010 Begins!

2010-09-30T20:30:00.000-07:00

Ventura Ghostwalk!

2010-09-28T22:00:00.000-07:00

I've been hearing about this for the last couple years. I even know a few people who have went and they say it's awesome! If you are in the area I would suggest checking it out. I know I am definitely going to try and do it this year!

Here's a little info from the site: :

"This is the 16th anniversary of Ventura County’s original Ghostwalk. Over the years, thousands of Ghostwalk groupies from all over California have walked the walk and come back for more.

Tours leave every 15 minutes beginning at 6:30pm - last tour begins at 9:00pm

Its continued popularity is due to the fact that we rarely present the same story twice, and its “ghostoric” location changes from year to year, influencing what stories we tell. The Ghostwalk is not a “spook house”, but a unique form of theatre in the streets, which embraces the tradition of great storytelling mixed with fun history that is suitable for the whole family (7 and older). All proceeds from this event go to help support the Santa Paula Theater Center.

It is about a one-hour walk by flashlight (please bring one). Tours are limited to 25 people - get your tickets as early as October 1st, as most tours sell-out. The tour is wheelchair safe, but due to the variable circumstances of the tours, there are some wheelchair limitations that may apply.

Since the Ghostwalk is a fundraiser, please bring a little mad money so you can buy some tasty goodies sold by our local youth groups. You can also pick up collectible Ghostwalk merchandise such as our ghostly embroidered Ghostwalk painter's caps and two collection booklets of this year's Ghostwalk stories as well as favored ones of the past. "

If you are interested, Check out their website here.

SacredFem Handmade Clothing

2010-09-24T10:47:00.000-07:00

Ever wonder what to do with all those old Marilyn Manson, NIN and Black Sabbath shirts sitting in your closet?

Wonder no more! SacredFem has brought you the answer!

SacredFem offers an artistic service that revamps your old T- shirts, vintage shirts, mens shirts, etc into one-of-a-kind halter tops, Victorian corset, or dress!

From the SacredFem website:

"We are a husband and wife team that has been selling fashion and beauty products online for years. We have three beautiful children; a 10 year old son, an 8 year old daughter, and a beautiful baby boy. We are Los Angeles natives that have toured the world musically, in both bands and theater. We’ve recently relocated to Austin, TX and have become very artistically inspired. Jessica is at her sewing machine coming up with sexy new styles, and Justin has been developing the website, and marketing the clothing line. There are a lot of great things ahead for Sacredfem and are extremely excited about the new line."

In these times, it is important to support the "mom and pop" economy rather than the big box corporate chains. SacredFem accommodates all sizes and truly take pride in creating a one of a kind piece for you.

If you are interested in SacredFem clothing. Please visit their website at www.sacredfem.com or if you have any questions email: justinarman@gmail.com or jessicaparman@gmail.com and tell them Gothic Tea Society sent ya!

Shine on Harvest Moon

2010-09-22T20:10:00.000-07:00

Wiki says- The Harvest Moon comes soon before or soon after the autumnal equinox. It is simply the full moon closest to that equinox. About once every four years it occurs in October (in the northern hemisphere), depending on the cycles of the moon. Currently, the latest the Harvest Moon can occur is on October 7.

In 2010, in the United States, the Harvest Moon happens in the early morning hours of Sept 23, only 5 1/2 hours after the autumnal equinox.

Often, the Harvest Moon seems to be bigger or brighter or more colorful than other full moons. The warm color of the moon shortly after it rises is caused by light from the moon passing through a greater amount of atmospheric particles than when the moon is overhead. The atmosphere scatters the bluish component of moonlight (which is really reflected white light from the sun), but allows the reddish component of the light to travel a straighter path to one's eyes. Hence all celestial bodies look reddish when they are low in the sky.

The apparent larger size is because the brain perceives a low-hanging moon to be larger than one that's high in the sky. This is known as a moon illusion and it can be seen with any full moon. It can also be seen with constellations; in other words, a constellation viewed low in the sky will appear bigger than when it is high in the sky.

All full moons rise around the time of sunset. However, although in general the moon rises about 50 minutes later each day, as it moves in orbit around Earth, the Harvest Moon and Hunter's Moon are special, because around the time of these half moons, the time difference between moonrise on successive evenings is shorter than usual which means that the moon rises approximately 30 minutes later, from one night to the next, as seen from about 40 degrees N. or S. latitude, for several evenings around the full Hunter's or Harvest Moons.

Thus there is no long period of darkness between sunset and moonrise around the time following these full moons. In times past this feature of these autumn moons was said to help farmers working to bring in their crops (or, in the case of the Hunter's Moon, hunters tracking their prey). They could continue being productive by moonlight even after the sun had set. Hence the name Harvest Moon.

The reason for the shorter-than-usual rising time between successive moonrises around the time of the Harvest and Hunter's Moon is that the ecliptic—the plane of Earth's orbit around the sun—makes a narrow angle with respect to the horizon in the evening in autumn.

Favorite Fortune Telling Machines

2010-09-21T09:41:00.000-07:00

I have always loved the fortune telling machines in Musee Mecanique at San Francisco's Ocean Beach.

This one types out your fortune on a page to take with you.

Fortune Telling Machines

2010-09-20T20:07:00.000-07:00

Remember these? Fortune telling machines with animatronic figures inside of mysterious Gypsies, Swamis, or Wizards? We know these purveyors of destiny are just robots, lifeless mannequins. . . aren't they? Why does it seem that they are smirking at you? Did those eyes just move?

Disneyland's famous Esmeralda

I have been having my fortune told by her for over 40 years!

What is your favorite Fortune Telling Machine story?

New Ghost Adventures!

2010-09-17T12:05:00.000-07:00

Aawww yeah! Zak, Nick and Aaron are back with an all new episode tonight on the Travel Channel!
First show of the season: The GA Crew travels to Gettysburg, PA, site of the bloodiest battle of the Civil War. While there, they attempt to make contact with dead soldiers, the sadistic woman who ran the town's orphanage and the ghosts of children she abused.

Lasse Hoile

2010-09-17T10:38:00.000-07:00

Have I already posted about this man's amazingly morbid photography? Seriously, even if I have, it bears repeating.

See more of his stunningly haunting art HERE.

12 Coolest Steampunk Gadgets

2010-09-14T04:59:00.000-07:00

Some of these are pretty cool..some are kind of meh... Check em out Here

Have You Been Flossing?

2010-09-10T08:27:00.000-07:00

Check out THIS site for a proverbial ton of amazing photographs, taken within the ruins of abandoned dentists offices.

Here's a sample:

The Island of Schizophrenic Toys

2010-09-10T07:12:00.000-07:00

For your gift giving consideration: Dub the severely depressed turtle? German toymaker Paraplush has designed a controversial new line of toys with an assortment of psychiatric disorders. The company advertises stuffed animals who suffer from a range of mental illnesses (bipolar disorder, depression, multiple personality disorder) and even come packaged with a personalized medical history and treatment plan.

"'Patients' from the Paraplush toy company include Dub the turtle with severe depression, Sly the snake who suffers from terrifying hallucinations, Dolly the sheep with a multiple personality disorder and a crocodile with an irrational fear of water." Each mentally ill Paraplush toy, designed by Martin Kittsteiner, retails for $38.

Oddities in Medicine

2010-08-30T21:11:00.000-07:00

Interested in arcane medical studies and anatomical anomalies? HERE is a blog you might enjoy!

Argyria

2010-08-26T14:10:00.000-07:00

Beware your intake of colloidal silver. Once a common ingredient in nosedrops, colloidal silver has been largely discarded due to its disastrous cumulative effect. Large doses administered over a period of time can cause Argyria, an irreversible condition which turns the skin a dead gray. Sufferers resemble walking corpses.

Colloidal silver is still available, mostly as a disinfectant but also amazingly as a dietary supplement, despite the warnings of people such as Rosemary Jacobs, who was prescribed colloidal silver nosedrops at the age of 14 and who still suffers the consequences some 6 decades later.

Duffy's Cut~ Mass Grave Site

2010-08-25T21:41:00.000-07:00

I have been following this story for a while, fascinating!

Grandfather's ghost story leads to mysterious mass grave

By Meghan Rafferty, CNN

Malvern, Pennsylvania (CNN) -- "This is a mass grave," Bill Watson said as he led the way through the thick Pennsylvania woods in a suburb about 30 miles from Philadelphia.

"Duffy's Cut," as it's now called, is a short walk from a suburban cul-de-sac in Malvern, an affluent town off the fabled Main Line. Twin brothers Bill and Frank Watson believe 57 Irish immigrants met violent deaths there after a cholera epidemic struck in 1832.

They suspect foul play.

"This is a murder mystery from 178 years ago, and it's finally coming to the light of day," Frank Watson said.

The brothers first heard about Duffy's Cut from their grandfather, a railroad worker, who told the ghost story to his family every Thanksgiving. According to local legend, memorialized in a file kept by the Pennsylvania Railroad, a man walking home from a tavern reported seeing blue and green ghosts dancing in the mist on a warm September night in 1909.

"I saw with my own eyes, the ghosts of the Irishmen who died with the cholera a month ago, a-dancing around the big trench where they were buried; it's true, mister, it was awful," the documents quote the unnamed man as saying. "Why, they looked as if they were a kind of green and blue fire and they were a-hopping and bobbing on their graves... I had heard the Irishmen were haunting the place because they were buried without the benefit of clergy."

When Frank inherited the file of his grandfather's old railroad papers, the brothers began to believe the ghost stories were real. They suspected that the files contained clues to the location of a mass grave.

"One of the pieces of correspondence in this file told us 'X marks the spot,'" said Frank. He added that the document suggested that the men "were buried where they were making the fill, which is the original railroad bridge."

In 2002, the brothers began digging and searching. They found forks and remnants of a shanty and, in 2005, what Bill Watson calls the "Holy Grail" -- a pipe with an Irish flag on it.

They knew they were close, but Bill said they knew they needed "hard science" to get them to the next step.

The science came from Tim Bechtel, a geophysicist, who learned about the project from a colleague at the University of Pennsylvania who had heard the Watson brothers speak. The friend knew Bechtel could provide the missing link in the brothers' excavation efforts.

Bechtel's work included earth scans, which can help detect what's underground without digging or drilling.

By shooting electrical current through the slope, Bechtel said he learned there were "oddball areas" or places where the current wouldn't pass through. "We saw areas in the slope that were very electrically resistant," Bechtel recalled.

This was an initial indicator something might lie beneath the surface. After further digging, Bechtel and the Watsons detected "air bubbles above the coffins," he said.

Bechtel helped pinpoint key areas to dig and on March 20, 2009, Bill Watson said the team made a startling discovery.

"One of my students came running over at about 2 in the afternoon with something that was a clearly discernable human bone," Bechtel said.

It was just the beginning of the many puzzle pieces to surface at Duffy's Cut. The pieces led them to suspect that something other than cholera was responsible for the deaths.

You Can read the entire story HERE

The Dancing Skeleton - Lumiere

2010-08-14T10:24:00.000-07:00